The Greatest Gift of All
by tayryn
Summary: A Christmas moment. Written for EspoirDio's advent calendar.


Niles looked up as the room suddenly grew dark; the only remaining light, the twinkling bulbs on the Christmas tree in the corner and the blazing fire in the fireplace beside him.

He smiled, tossed aside the book he was reading, and watched as his wife slowly made her way across the room toward him and felt his heart skip a beat.

He couldn't help it.

She simply had that effect on him.

She always had and, Niles knew, she always would.

The deep sapphire blue of her nightgown shimmered in the firelight as she moved, giving her an almost ethereal glow as she drew closer. His smile widened when she stopped in front of him and gazed down at him.

"Is she finally asleep?"

"Yes," CC nodded as she knelt beside him on the floor in front of the fire, and then slowly draped her body over his. "After three bathroom trips, two stories, and the threat of missing Santa Claus, the little miss is finally asleep. At the very least, she's pretending to sleep."

Niles chuckled.

"You know," he lifted his head to brush a soft kiss over her lips as he began to slowly caress her back. "As much as I enjoyed having our friends and family here…"

"I'm glad they've gone home, too," CC finished for him with a knowing smile as she slid her fingers into his hair. "I like having you all to myself," she lowered her mouth to his.

They shared a tender, lingering kiss.

"Mmm…" CC hummed as it ended. "Damn, but you can kiss."

"Still make your toes curl, do I?"

"Yes you do…" she murmured as he drew her mouth back to his and kissed her deeply; their tongues meeting in a familiar, intimate dance that left them breathless when it ended.

"Still curled?"

"Mmhmm…"

Niles laughed quietly as CC settled into his embrace, and laid her head on his shoulder. "Hey, you're not going to fall asleep on me are you?"

"No. I'm just getting comfortable," she breathed a kiss to his throat as she snuggled closer.

An affectionate smile spread across his face. When they first got together, Niles had been surprised, and delighted, to discover that CC liked to cuddle. After the baby had been born, and for reasons she'd never really shared (or knew herself she'd told him once), CC had suddenly taken to lying on top of him, covering him like a blanket… which was, as far as Niles was concerned, even better than cuddling (though he enjoyed cuddling with her, too).

Niles really liked when she did that.

A lot.

She just had a habit of falling asleep on him though, which amused Niles greatly.

"I've waited all evening for this," CC released a contented sigh as she stretched out, relaxing against him.

Niles wrapped his arms around her, and held her tight. "Same here, Love…"

They fell into a comfortable silence, content to be in each other's arms and enjoying the warmth of the fire as they watched the lights on the tree twinkle.

A church bell could be heard ringing in the distance, breaking the quiet of the night and both turned their heads toward the window to see big, billowy snowflakes drifting about.

"I'm glad we moved back here," Niles told his wife as he continued to watch the snow fall.

"So, am I," CC replied as she rubbed her cheek against him. "There is just nothing like Christmas in New York."

Niles nodded in agreement.

"Is everything set for tomorrow?" CC asked after several moments.

"Yes," Niles replied, unable to keep the eagerness from his voice.

CC shook her head, laughing softly. "I don't know who is more excited, you or Paige."

"It's definitely a toss-up," Niles chuckled. "It's just… she's finally old enough to really understand what's going on, and I want it to be a special Christmas for her."

CC raised her head and smiled down at him. "I think you accomplished your mission, Santa."

"Thank you, Mrs. Claus," Niles winked at her as he slid a hand up into her hair and drew her mouth to his, unable to resist the lure of her full red lips.

CC sighed into the soft kiss. "What time did you tell them to be here in the morning?" She asked as he tugged gently on her bottom lip with his teeth.

"Early," he answered then kissed her fully as he trailed his hands down her back.

"And…?" She prodded breathlessly breaking off the kiss.

"They promised they would be," Niles replied absently as he trailed his lips along her jaw.

"Good," CC tilted her head, granting him better access. "They won't want to… mmm…" she hummed as he laved his tongue over a particularly sensitive spot, "…miss this."

"CC…?" He murmured in her ear.

"Mmm?"

"I'm trying very hard to seduce my wife here, and would appreciate a little cooperation."

CC gave a deep throaty laugh which shot straight to his groin. "I don't know, Butler Boy," she circled her hips against him. "Feels like you're doing all right to me."

"Witch!" Niles growled and caught her lips in a passionate kiss.

He kissed her hungrily, relishing the heady feelings of joy and ecstasy that always overcame him when he was making love with CC. He slipped his hands down to cup her rear and pull her closer; his moan mingling with hers.

"Gramma!"

At the loud cry from upstairs, CC pulled her mouth from his and buried her face in his shoulder with a groan.

"Remind me again why we volunteered to babysit her? Tonight of all nights?" Niles asked, trying to calm his body.

CC raised her head and gave him a look. "Because her twenty-five year old mother has her daddy wrapped around her baby finger and he just couldn't say no to her."

"Her grandmother has the same effect on me, I assure you," Niles told her with a grin, lifting his head to nip at her chin, smiling when she laughed softly. "Whatever possessed that girl to get married on Christmas Eve?"

"She inherited her father's sense of romanticism, that's what," CC said with a matching grin.

"Oh, don't sell yourself short, Baby, she got some of that from you, too," Niles quipped.

CC lowered her head so that her lips were touching his. "You'll never be able to prove it," she covered his mouth with hers.

"Gramma! Grampa!"

Niles ended the kiss with a softly muttered curse and the two of them turned their heads to see their four year old granddaughter standing in front of them with her hands on her hips and a frown on her face.

"Paige, why aren't you in bed?" CC asked the petite blonde who Niles swore was just a miniature of her grandmother. She glanced down briefly and Niles grinned at her realization that she was still draped over him and that his hands were still on her ass.

"Gramma, Santa is not going to come if you an' Grampa are still up!"

Niles bit back his grin as he noted that Paige had not answered CC's question. "That evasion thing she gets from you," he remarked to CC quietly.

CC glared at him before turning back to their granddaughter. "It's okay for grownups to still be awake when Santa comes," she told the little girl and Niles groaned as she eased herself off of him.

"Why?"

"Because we help him put the presents under the tree," Niles said as he climbed to his feet and stood beside CC.

"And, that is also when we tell Santa Claus if you've been a good little girl and deserve the presents he brought you, little miss," CC finished for him.

Paige grinned at that.

The same cheeky half-grin, half-smirk her mother used on Niles when she was Paige's age.

The same sly smile CC still used on him to this day.

That smile that always meant his girls were up to no good.

That little, self-satisfied, knowing smirk that always got them anything they wanted from the man that adored them all beyond measure.

"Of course, I do," Paige said, the smirk widening into a full smile.

Niles' heart melted at the sight and he couldn't help the soft chuckle that escaped him. He felt CC poke him in the side as she looked pointedly at him. He merely shrugged, not bothering to try and hide his amusement, even as he could see that his wife was fighting her own. She shook her head and turned back to their granddaughter.

"You won't if you don't get your little bum back into bed," CC told her.

"You an' Grampa, too."

"Grampa and I, too," CC nodded, and then gave her a gentle shove towards Niles. "Give Grampa a hug and a kiss."

Paige jumped into Niles' arms and wrapped her small arms around his neck and squeezed tight.

"Oh, come now, you can do better than that," Niles told her with a laugh. "Try again."

Paige grinned and hugged him as tight as she could; grunting with the effort, then pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "Love you, Grampa."

"I love you too, Missy Paige," Niles replied as he brushed soft kisses to her cheeks, nose and forehead, resisting the urge to tickle her; knowing she needed to stay calm and go to bed. "Now, I want you to go right to sleep. No more getting out of bed, all right?"

"All right, Grampa," Paige nodded seriously.

"Good girl," Niles gave her another quick squeeze as he turned toward CC, shifting the little girl in his arms. "Here, Gramma, I have a present for you."

Paige giggled as Niles pretended to throw her into CC's waiting arms. As she wrapped her arms around CC's neck, Niles couldn't resist wrapping his around both of them and kissing them both on the cheek.

"Grampa, you're silly!" Paige giggled again.

Niles just laughed and kissed her cheek again before releasing them.

"Don't be long…" CC told him, her voice dropping an octave as she gave him a heated look.

Niles felt his body respond to the promise in both the husky tone of her voice and her smoky blue eyes. He leaned in and brushed a quick kiss to her lips. "I won't be."

CC gave him a knowing smile then turned her attention back to the child in her arms who was watching them attentively. "Come, little miss, let's get you back into bed," she said as she shifted her in her embrace.

"Gramma?"

Niles watched with a tender smile on his face as CC walked slowly through the living room with their granddaughter cradled in her arms then stepped over to the tree.

"Yes, Paige?"

"Why do you an' Grampa kiss so much?"

Niles looked up from where he was just about to unplug the tree to see CC stop and glance in his direction. He stood, the tree's lights still twinkling, and watched as she turned back to answer their granddaughter.

"Because we like kissing."

"Why?"

Niles chuckled quietly. He'd known that answer would not satisfy Paige.

"Because I love Grampa very much," CC told her, meeting Niles' eyes over the tiny blonde's shoulder.

He held her gaze, knowing his eyes conveyed just how much he did, indeed, love her.

"And Grampa loves you. I hear'im tell you all the time," Paige said with a giggle.

CC couldn't help but laugh softly. "Yes, he does. And, we show each other by kissing. Just like we show you by hugging and kissing you every chance we get."

"Is that why you hold hands lots?"

"Yes."

"Mommy and mama kiss lots," Paige told her. "They hold hands all the time, too."

"Yes, they do. Your moms love each other very much."

"Just like you and Grampa."

CC nodded. "Just like me and Grampa," she said and Niles watched as CC leaned in and gave Paige an Eskimo kiss. "And I hope that when you're older, you find that special someone to hold your hand and kiss you lots, too."

Paige grasped CC's face in her tiny hands as she rubbed her nose against her grandmother's again. "When I get married, I hope he looks like Grampa," she confided quietly, but still loud enough that Niles could hear her.

"Why's that?"

"Because I think Grampa's handsome."

CC glanced over at Niles, and he could see the love shining in her beautiful blue eyes even in the muted light of the room. "So do I."

Niles grinned.

Paige yawned suddenly then laid her head on CC's shoulder. "I'm sleepy, Gramma."

"Let's get you to bed, baby," CC said quietly and wrapped her arms fully around the little girl in her embrace. She looked back at Niles once again. "Don't be too long, Butler Boy."

"I'll be up shortly, Witch," Niles replied.

They shared another look before CC turned and slowly made her way out of the room.

Niles remained standing where he was, his eyes on his wife until she turned the corner and left his sight. God, but he loved to watch her. Always had.

They'd known each other for forty-five years.

Had been married for twenty-five.

And for all of those years, he'd watched her.

Niles shook his head as he wandered over to the hall closet to fetch the gifts hidden there, remembering their earlier relationship and everything they'd put each other through. They'd long since made peace with all of that… both realizing the root of why they had done what they'd done… but it still amazed him sometimes that they'd made it.

He would be forever grateful to CC for returning to the mansion that fateful night so many years ago to confront him about what he'd said to her. They had argued again… and in the midst of that arguing, CC had admitted to her real fear, her real reason for resisting as she had for so long, and why she had continued with the charade of pining after Maxwell.

She'd been afraid.

Afraid of losing him… losing them…

"That was our turning point," he said softly as he laid the final gifts under the heavily decorated pine then reached over and unplugged the tree. He wandered over to the far wall where the switch for the fireplace was located and flipped it off, watching as the flames died away.

They'd made love for the first time that night.

And they'd been inseparable since.

Twenty-five years.

So many people had said they wouldn't make it.

Niles wandered out of the living room and down the hall to the front door, checking to make certain it was locked.

He and CC had had their share of fights over the years, and had gone through some rough patches, but in the end… they'd stuck it out and fought for their marriage. Their love for each other winning out over everything and everyone else; growing stronger with each battle they'd won.

"We showed them all," Niles said with a smile, looking down at the gold band on his ring finger as he paused at the foot of the stairs.

They'd eloped; exchanging their vows in a rushed ceremony with Fran about to give birth to Jonah and Eve. The next day, at his insistence, they'd slipped away and bought the simple matching bands… and in a private ceremony - just the two of them - on a bench in Central park, they'd declared their love and commitment to each other and slipped the rings on each other's fingers.

Six months later, CC had given birth to their daughter, Maddison. The moment he'd held her, seconds after her birth, Niles had fallen in love for the second time in his life, and had known that there was nothing he would not do for his baby girl… or her mother for that matter. That he would do everything within his ability to provide a stable, happy life for both of them.

Raising Maddy had been a joy, and as he'd known she would, CC had taken to being a mother like a duck to water. The evidence could be seen in their now grown up, married daughter.

Maddison had, to their immense pride, grown up into a beautiful young lady… inside and out.

In a testament to how well-adjusted their daughter was, she'd not been at all afraid to come to them in her early teens and tell them that she was gay. Neither he nor CC had been surprised by her news - the two of them having long figured it out themselves - and had simply embraced their daughter and pledged their support.

When she was nineteen, his little girl had met and fallen in love with a wonderful woman named Sophia. A year later, on Christmas Eve, in a simple ceremony much like the private one her parents had shared, Maddison and Sophia had gotten married. Both he and CC could not have asked for a better life partner for their little girl, and they loved their daughter-in-law as if she was their own, welcoming her into their family with open arms.

And then, much to their delight, four years ago, Maddy and Sophie had given CC and Niles their only grandchild, Paige. The precocious little minx his wife was currently tucking back into bed. When he'd held that little bundle in his arms minutes after her birth, Niles had lost his heart for the third time.

Where Maddison was truly the perfect mix of both he and CC physically, Paige was her grandmother made over. From her beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes, to her no-nonsense attitude, Paige was a miniature CC.

And, like her grandmother, Paige had him wrapped around her little finger. There was nothing Niles would not do for her.

"Who am I kidding? There is nothing I would not do for any of my girls," he said out loud to himself. He'd give his life for his daughters and granddaughter in a heartbeat. No questions asked.

And most especially for CC.

CC.

His heart.

His soul.

Niles smiled gently.

CC was his life, plain and simple. Without her, well, he didn't even want to think about that, and quickly banished the maudlin thoughts that threatened to take hold, and instead focused on the positive.

He'd fallen in love with his witch the moment he'd seen her, and his life had not been the same since.

'And I wouldn't change a second of it,' he realized. The good, the bad… all of it, as all of those moments combined to make his and CC's life the incredible journey it had been. "And continues to be," he finished the thought aloud.

"And speaking of…" A large grin spread across Niles' face as he thought of CC, and the fact that she was, most likely, waiting for him to join her in their bed.

He felt his heart skip a beat.

He couldn't help it.

CC simply had that effect on him.

She always had and, Niles knew, she always would.

He glanced into the darkened living room, and could just make out the Christmas tree with all the gifts lying under it. There were so many gaily wrapped packages… gifts for Maddy and Sophie, for Noel and his husband, for Max, Fran and their ever-increasing brood and, of course, Paige.

There were some for him and CC as well. Mostly small trinkets… as neither one really needed anything after all these years.

He'd long ago received the best gift he'd ever been given.

The one gift he treasured above all else.

CC's heart.

Her heart and the knowledge that she was still as deeply in love with him as he was with her… that was his greatest gift of all.

"Niles…"

At the soft call of his name, Niles looked up to see the object of his thoughts standing at the top of the staircase with a warm smile on her face. She held her hand out to him and he felt his heart swell at the love and desire he could see in her eyes. He hurried up the stairs, slipped his hand into hers and tugged her gently into his embrace.

She hummed softly as she wrapped her arms around him and snuggled closer; pressing her cheek against his. "What's on your mind, Lover?"

Niles smiled. She knew him so well.

"You," he answered simply.

CC leaned back to look at him. "Me?"

"You sound surprised," Niles smiled tenderly at her. "Don't you know, after all these years that you, my beautiful witch, are always first and foremost on my mind?"

She blushed and Niles felt himself fall in love with her yet again. He lifted his hand and laid it against her cheek. "As much as I love our daughters and Paige, and the life we have built together… you, my love… you ARE my life."

"…Niles…" the warm exhalation was softer than a whisper.

"Of all the gifts I have ever received in my life, the greatest gift of all has been you and your love."

"You, Butler Boy, are an old romantic fool," she told him with a smile as she nuzzled her cheek into his palm. "But you are my old fool, and I love you so very much."

"I love you, CC…" he whispered as he leaned in and kissed her softly.

"Niles…" CC murmured as he sought to deepen the kiss.

"Yes, love?"

"Let's go to our room…" she pulled her mouth from his and gave him a sensuous smile. "And you can unwrap your greatest gift."

Niles laughed as he pulled CC back into his arms and hugged her tightly.

"Merry Christmas, my love…" she whispered into his ear.

Niles buried his face in her hair. "Merry Christmas, my life…"


End file.
